An international scientific research project known as the HGP, saw its completion in the year 2003 after it successfully sequenced 3.3 billion base pairs’ human genome. So, what is HGP’s full form? HGP is the abbreviation of the Human Genome Project. This project resulted in the rise and expansion of bioinformatics, which happens to be an important and significant area belonging to the research. The success of the project could help in comprehending and coming up with solutions for many human disorders and deformations. HGP helps us in understanding all such human genetic problems.
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Three Main International Organizations Involved in the HGP:
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HUGO – This organization helps in grouping of knowledge, making data banks and conducting workshops.
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EC – It uses its effective framework of science and biotechnology to process various functions and organize data.
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UNESCO – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization examines the legal and ethical aspect of the human genome project at an international level.
Aims of the Human Genome Project (HGP)
The human genome project involves analyzing and understanding the following information and the goals of the HGP are –
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Careful consideration and keeping in mind any of the legal, ethical, and social issues that the project may pose
Below are Few Terms that are Important to Understand about the ‘Human Genome Project’ in Depth:
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Chromosome – It is the structured genetic information which consists of proteins and DNA. These are the materials that hold the genes. Hence, it is considered as the ‘building block of the human body’.
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Hybridization – It is the joining of harmonious strands of the DNA or a joining of the DNA and RNA. It helps in the formation of a double stranded molecule.
Methods of the Human Genome Project (HGP)
For the successful working of the human genome project (HGP) these two processes are usually used which vary from each other and play a significant role in this project –
The first method is – Expressed sequence tags is the method in which genes are separated into two distinct categories. One being the genome and the other RNAs. The genomes were then analyzed and placed under the category they resonated with. Some formed the genome while the rest formed the RNAs.
The second method is – sequence annotation in which the whole genome was initially sequenced, and then the genes were later placed under different categories and labeled accordingly.
Process of the Human Genome Project
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The complete gene set was isolated from a cell.
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There was a complete separation of the gene set from the cell, i.e., absolute isolation of the gene set from a cell.
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The gene set was then divided into tiny compartments.
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After the second process, the DNA structure was then expanded using the assistance of a vector. Now, this vector is usually known as Bacterial artificial chromosomes, also known as BAC and Yeast artificial chromosomes, also known as YAC.
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Then in the second process, the gene set that was divided into small pieces is sequenced with the help of DNA sequencers.
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Depending on the regions which overlapped, then the sequences were placed into an arrangement.
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After that process, every single information that there is on the genome sequence is kept in a program that is based on a computerized system.
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And this is how entire genomes are sequenced and preserved in the computers as genome databases. The next step that they wanted to achieve was genome mapping. This was successfully achieved with the assistance and aid of microsatellites, that is, DNA sequences that are repeated.
Features of the Human Genome Project
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A majority of the genomes are composed of sequences that are repeated and have no particular purposes for coding. However, these additional codes have the ability to help us understand the functions of genes and genetic evolution of humans over the years.
Applications of the Human Genome Project or HGP
With the successful completion of the human genome project and as all the aims of the project were finally fulfilled, it resulted in a greater evolution and progress in the research field. In today’s time, if there is any such rise of a disease owing to the change made in a particular gene, then our scientists’ can track them down, and a side by side study of that gene with our current genome database can be done. This helps in analyzing the situation, coming up with an efficient solution, and an effective measure can then be taken to solve the issue. This saves a lot of trouble and can be solved with much more ease.
This project has opened up doors to new opportunities and a broader perspective, which can be used to understand in depth the various genetic fields.
Benefits of the Human Genome Project
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The Human Genome Project also helped in understanding human evolution and human migration better. In Fact, It also helped scientists to find out how much humans can evolve in the future.
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Comparing our genome with others may help in understanding the traits better.
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The Human Genome Project has proved to be very beneficial for Agriculture and livestock breeding. This can increase the crop production and development of disease and insect free, drought resistant crops (which will require very less amount of water and will survive even after imbalance in ecosystem).
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It helped the scientific field grow and introduced the world to new concepts that can be very efficient for a better life.
Conclusion
The human genome project reached its conclusion in 2003. This project proved that the human genome is very special and complex just like the genomes of other organisms. It also concluded that the number of identified disease genes rose to more than 1,400. Along with this, scientists identified 20,000–25,000 genes in the human genome. After knowing this, the next step was to examine and study the DNA sequences from different populations. This was done to know about the results in a deeper aspect. This DNA sequencing made the scientists know about DNA variation and evolution in different areas and populations.